Illinois man sentenced to prison for arson of Minneapolis Sprint store

An Illinois man was sentenced to prison on Tuesday for the arson of a Minneapolis cellphone store after George Floyd’s death.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office says 29-year-old Matthew Lee Rupert, of Galesburg, Ill., was sentenced to over 8½ years (105 months) in prison.

Court documents state Rupert posted Facebook messages on May 28, 2020, about the protests in the Twin Cities, including one that said, "I’m going to Minneapolis tomorrow who coming only goons I’m renting hotel rooms." The following day, a Facebook Live video showed him in Minneapolis, and he’s heard saying he came "to riot" while depicting handing out artillery shell fireworks, encouraging violence against law enforcement and damaging property.

His guilty plea and other court documents also indicate Rupert asked for lighter fluid before entering a boarded-up Sprint store on Nicollet Avenue. Eventually, prosecutors say Rupert and others knocked over boxes onto a pile, covered it in lighter fluid and then directed a juvenile to light the pile on fire. Rupert then fled, stating, "I lit it on fire!"

The store was significantly damaged by the fire.